Refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having at least a first zone and a second zone in the inner space of the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit, with a plurality of air circulation means being provided, with at least one air circulation means being associated with a zone in each case.

The present invention relates to a refrigerator unit and/or a freezerunit having at least a first zone and a second zone in the inner spaceof the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit.

Known refrigerator units have a fan and a plurality of air guidancepassages for the refrigeration of zones located in the inner space andseparated from one another and have flaps to set the temperature in therespective zones. It thereby becomes possible to obtain a plurality oftemperature zones in the inner space of a refrigerator unit so thatbetter account can be taken of the different refrigerating requirementsof the refrigeration good to be stored in the unit. In this respect, thefan is usually located in the rear upper zone of a refrigerated airpassage and blows the air coming from the inner space of therefrigerator unit over an evaporator so that this air is cooled again.The air cooled in this manner is then conducted via openings into therespective zones or compartments or temperature zones.

This kind of regulation of the temperature of the individualrefrigerated zones in a refrigerator unit can, however, not prevent theoccurrence of slight temperature fluctuations in the individualtemperature zones. In particular a targeted and faster setting orregulation e.g. to a constant value of the temperature would thereforebe desirable.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to further develop arefrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit of the initially named kind inan advantageous manner, in particular such that a very accurate andtargeted temperature regulation per refrigerated zone is made possible.

This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by arefrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having the features of claim 1.Provision is accordingly made that a refrigerator unit and/or a freezerunit has at least a first zone and a second zone in the inner space ofthe refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit. A plurality of aircirculation means are furthermore provided, with at least one aircirculation means being associated with one zone in each case. Theadvantage thereby results that, for example, the supply of refrigeratedair to a zone can be accurately set, and thus also the temperature inthis zone. This is in particular made possible by dynamic aircirculation means which, for example, allow the refrigerated air flow tobe supplied to the zone to be varied. The inner space is preferably theinner space of the refrigerator part of the refrigerator unit and/orfreezer unit. It is generally conceivable that the unit additionally hasa freezer part having an inner space separated from the inner space ofthe refrigerator part.

It is furthermore conceivable that the zone is a separate temperaturezone and/or that the zones have temperatures different from one another.The first zone can thus, for example, have a temperature ofapproximately 4° C. and a second zone can have a temperature ofapproximately 8° C. It is advantageously conceivable that the zones havetemperatures between −3° C. and +8° C. The respective temperatures inthe individual zones can be identical or partly identical, but can alsobe selected to be completely different.

It is furthermore possible that the zones are arranged above one anotherand/or below one another and/or next to one another.

Provision can furthermore be made that a large first zone is providedwhich has a larger volume than the at least one further second zone. Itis in particular conceivable in this respect that one zone is the mainzone of the refrigerator part for the storage of refrigerated goods andthe second zone is a pull-out compartment for the refrigeration e.g. ofvegetables.

It is possible that the further zone and/or the further zones is/arearranged beneath the large first zone.

It is furthermore conceivable that at least one second zone is a 0° C.zone or a BioFresh zone. Such a second zone is preferably designed as adrawer or as a pull-out compartment. It is particularly advantageous ifthe pull-out compartment is made transparent. It is generallyconceivable that all second zones are made as BioFresh compartments.

Provision can furthermore be made that at least one air guidance meansis provided behind a wall of the zones and that the air circulationmeans are arranged in and/or at the wall of the inner space and areconnected to the air guidance means for the air circulation. Airguidance means can, for example, be passages, shafts, flaps and/or otherdeflection means for air which either lead to the respective zone orlead out of the respective zone. It is generally conceivable that thezones have common, throughgoing walls, with the zones being separatedfrom one another by partition bases.

It is furthermore possible that air can be blown out of the air guidancemeans by the air circulation means into the zone associated with the aircirculation means.

Provision can furthermore advantageously be made that the aircirculation means is a fan. It is conceivable in this connection thatthe control of the fans takes place via a control and/or regulationunit. It can in this respect be the unit controller of the refrigeratorunit and/or freezer unit. The temperature can thus be regulated in azone or compartment via the control of the speed of a fan, for example.

It is furthermore possible that the air guidance means includes arefrigerated air passage, a refrigerated air shaft and/or an airextraction passage or is made as such.

It is moreover conceivable that at least one evaporator, preferably onecentral evaporator, is arranged in the refrigerated air shaft. Such acentral evaporator can in this respect extend almost over the totalheight of the inner space and can serve for the cooling of the air forall zones. It is particularly advantageous if a plurality of zones arearranged above one another and if the central evaporator extends overall zones. The advantage thereby results that the air guided past thecentral evaporator and cooled hereby can be blown into the respectivezone or into the respective compartment directly without any greatdetours by means of the respective air circulation means.

It is of advantage if the zones are connected to an air extractionpassage. It hereby becomes possible, for example, first to collect thewarm air from the respective zones or temperature zones and then to coolit together, that is, to supply it, for example, to a central evaporatoror past it and hereby to cool it.

Provision can furthermore be made that the zones are each connected viaan air outlet opening to a common air extraction passage. Thisembodiment is space-saving and e.g. permits a utilization of the stackeffect, and indeed in particular when the air extraction passage isarranged in a perpendicular manner.

It is furthermore conceivable that at least one refrigerated air shaftand one air extraction passage are provided, with both being arrangedbehind the rear wall of the zones. It is, for example, conceivable inthis connection that the refrigerated air shaft and the air extractionpassage are accommodated together in the shaft which is formed by therear wall of the zones and by the rear inner side of the inner containerof the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit.

It is of advantage if the refrigerated air shaft and the air extractionpassage are separated by a common separating wall, with air passing fromthe air extraction passage in the upper part of the separating wall viaan opening into the refrigerated air passage.

Further details and advantages of the invention will now be explained inmore detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.

There are shown:

FIG. 1: a schematic representation of the arrangement of the componentsof a refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit;

FIG. 2: a representation of the section B-B of the refrigerator unitand/or freezer unit shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3: a representation of the section A-A of the refrigerator unitand/or freezer unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 shows, in a schematic representation from the front, arefrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit 10 having four zones 20, 22, 24,26 which are arranged in the inner space 12 of the refrigerator unitand/or freezer unit 10, are disposed above one another and eachrepresent a separate temperature zone 20, 22, 24, 26. In this respect,the zone 20 arranged at the top in the inner space 12 has asubstantially larger inner space volume than the other zones 22, 24, 26.

Provision is preferably made that the three lower zones 22, 24, 26 are0° C. zones or BioFresh zones. In this respect, the zones 22, 24, 26 canbe made as compartments or as pull-out compartments. It is, for example,conceivable with an embodiment having pull-out compartments thattransparent drawers can be pushed into and out of the zones 22, 24, 26.

The zones 20, 22, 24, 26 can generally each have mutually differenttemperatures, but also identical temperatures. Provision can thus bemade that the temperature in the first zone 20 is approximately 4° C.,while the temperature in the zones 22, 24, 27 is approximately 0° C. ineach case. Provision can generally likewise be made that the temperaturein the zones 22, 24, 26 is higher or also lower than 0° C.

The zones 20, 22, 24, 26 are separated from one another by throughgoingpartition bases 14 for the formation of a separate temperature zone.Additional insulation layers, which are, however, not shown in any moredetail in the Figures, can be worked into these partition bases.

An air circulation means 30 designed as a fan 30 and an air extractionopening 120, 122, 124, 126 are in each case associated with each zone20, 22, 24, 26. A very accurate temperature regulation is herebyachieved in the respective refrigerated zone 20, 22, 24, 26.

The fans 30 blow refrigerated air L into the respective zones 20, 22,24, 26 from the refrigerated air shaft 30, which is located behind thecommon rear wall 16 (cf. FIGS. 2 and 3) of the zones 20, 22, 24, 26. Theair L then flows through the respective zone 20, 22, 24, 26 and exits itthrough the air outlet opening 120, 122, 124, 126 associated with thezone 20, 22, 24, 26 into the stack-like air passage 50 for the leadingaway of the heated air L.

The refrigerated air shaft 30 and the stack-like air passage 50 are bothlocated behind the rear wall 16 of the zones 20, 22, 24, 26 and areseparated from one another by the separating wall 62 and are connectedto one another by the opening 60 arranged at the head side. Both therefrigerated air shaft 30 and the stack-like air passage 50 are made asthroughgoing over their total height and are not divided by thepartition bases 14. The partition bases 14 end at the common rear wall16 of the zones 20, 22, 24, 26.

The heated air led off from the zones 20, 22, 24, 26 rises upwardly inthe air passage 50 and enters into the refrigerated air shaft 30 via theopening 60. The air L there flows along the central evaporator 70 and ishereby cooled. The air is then again blown into the respective zones 20,22, 24, 26 by the fans 30.

The fan 30, which is associated with the topmost zone 20, is locatedcentrally in the lower part of the rear wall 16 of the zone 20 and isfastened in the wall 16. The air outlet opening 120 associated with thezone 20 is located opposite in the upper part of the rear wall 16 of thezone 20. The fans 30 of the lower zones 22, 24, 26 are likewiseorientated base-wise, whereas the respective air outlet opening isorientated to the head side.

FIG. 2 shows the section B-B through the refrigerator unit and/orfreezer unit shown in FIG. 1. The guidance of the air L is again madeclear from this sectional drawing. The air L is in each case blown bythe fans 30 out of the refrigerated air shaft 40 having the centralevaporator 70 in each case at the base side into the zones orcompartments 20, 22, 24, 26 or into the temperature zones 20, 22, 24,26. The air L being heated in the zone 20 or in the compartments 22, 24,26 rises upwardly and exits the zone 20 or the compartments 22, 24, 26via the respectively associated air outlet openings 120, 122, 124, 126into the air passage 50.

FIG. 3 shows the section A-A with a direction of gaze from to the top tothe bottom through the refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. In this sectional view, the arrangement of therefrigerated air shaft 40 having the central evaporator 70 arrangedtherein and having the stack-like air passage 50 for the guiding off ofheated air L behind the rear wall 16 is shown.

Provision can generally be made that the temperature is preset andregulated individually in each compartment via a unit controller andregulator which is not shown in any more detail. It is not absolutelynecessary in this respect that the fans are controlled and operatedsynchronously. It is advantageously possible to control the fans asrequired and independently of one another, e.g. with respect to speed,and hereby to regulate the temperature in the respective zone orcompartment 20, 22, 24, 26. Provision can furthermore be made via flaps,not shown in any more detail, to decouple the zone 20 or one or more ofthe compartments 22, 24, 26, for example, from the circulation circuitof the air L at times. Such flaps are associated with the fan 30 andalso the air outlet openings 120, 122, 124, 126 in such an embodiment ofa refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit 10 and can likewise preferablybe controlled via the unit controller and/or regulator.

1. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) having at feast afirst (20) and a second zone (22, 24, 26) in the inner space (12) of therefrigerator unit and/or freezer unit (10), wherein a plurality of aircirculation means (30) are provided, with at least one air circulationmeans (30) being associated with a zone (20, 22, 24, 26) in each case.2. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the zone (20, 22, 24, 26) is a separate temperaturezone (20, 22, 24, 26); and/or at least two zones (20, 22, 24, 26) havetemperatures different from one another.
 3. A refrigerator unit and/or afreezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the zones (20, 22,24, 26) are arranged above one another and/or below one another and/ornext to one another.
 4. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10)in accordance with claim 1, wherein a large first zone (20) is providedwhich has a larger volume than the at least one further second zone (22,24, 26).
 5. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordancewith claim 4, wherein the second zone and/or the further second zones(22, 24, 26) are arranged below the large first zone (20).
 6. Arefrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 4,wherein at least one second region (22, 24, 26) is a 0° C. zone (22, 24,26) or a BioFresh zone (22, 24, 26).
 7. A refrigerator unit and/or afreezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one airguidance means (40, 50) is provided behind a wall (16) of the zones (20,22, 24, 26); and the air circulation means (30) are arranged in and/orat the wall (16) of the zones (20, 22, 24, 26) and are connected to theair guidance means (40, 50) for the air circulation.
 8. A refrigeratorunit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 7, wherein air(L) can be blown out of the air guidance means (40) by the aircirculation means (30) into the zone (20, 22, 24, 26) associated withthe air circulation means (30).
 9. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezerunit (10) in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air circulation means(30) is a fan (30).
 10. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10)in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air guidance means (40, 50)includes or is made as a refrigerated air passage, a refrigerated airshaft (40) and/or an air extraction passage (50).
 11. A refrigeratorunit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 10, wherein atleast one evaporator (70), preferably a central evaporator (70), isarranged in the refrigerated air shaft (40).
 12. A refrigerator unitand/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 10, wherein thezones (20, 22, 24, 26) are connected to an air extraction passage (50).13. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance withclaim 12, wherein the zones (20, 22, 24, 26) are each connected to acommon air extraction passage (50) via an air outlet opening (120, 122,124, 126).
 14. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) inaccordance with claim 10, wherein at least one refrigerated air shaft(40) and one air extraction passage (50) are provided, with both beingarranged behind the rear wall (16) of the zones (20, 22, 24, 26).
 15. Arefrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim14, wherein the refrigerated air shaft (40) and the air extraction shaft(50) are separated by a common separating wall (62), with air (L)passing from the air extraction passage (50) into the refrigerated airshaft (40) in the upper part of the separating wall (62) via an opening(60).
 16. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordancewith claim 2, wherein the zones (20, 22, 24, 26) are arranged above oneanother and/or below one another and/or next to one another.
 17. Arefrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim16, wherein a large first zone (20) is provided which has a largervolume than the at least one further second zone (22, 24, 26).
 18. Arefrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 3,wherein a large first zone (20) is provided which has a larger volumethan the at least one further second zone (22, 24, 26).
 19. Arefrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim 2,wherein a large first zone (20) is provided which has a larger volumethan the at least one further second zone (22, 24, 26).
 20. Arefrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit (10) in accordance with claim17, wherein the second zone and/or the further second zones (22, 24, 26)are arranged below the large first zone (20).